The invention generally relates to toys and, more particularly, relates to methods and apparatus for forming toys.
Children often enjoy toys which have a creative aspect to them. Fun can be derived as much from the process of building or creating the toy as from using the toy once created. The same can be said of toys which have a disassembly or destructive aspect as well. This is particularly so if the toys are messy or somewhat grotesque in nature, such as monsters, insects, or the like.
For example, Levy, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,472 discloses a toy provided in the form of a dinosaur with a plurality of microcapsules provided on the exterior surface of the dinosaur. Each of the microcapsules is filled with a thick red colored liquid simulating blood. The microcapsules can be crushed to thereby simulate actual bleeding from the dinosaur.
Similarly, Lund, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,436 discloses a toy figure which is stretchable and deformable by increasing or decreasing the fluid pressure within the toy. The toy is provided in the form of a monster figure and can be deformed into exaggerated shapes of grotesque proportions. The toy can be so deformed upon rotation of a lever attached to the head of the monster.
Another toy destroying apparatus is disclosed in Hanson, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,133. Hanson discloses a toy car crushing apparatus. Toy vehicles formed from tin foil can be deposited into a housing of the crushing apparatus. Upon rotation of a crank arm, the walls of the housing close in around the tin foil to crush the car in a manner simulating that of an automatic junk yard automobile crusher.
In light of the above, it would be advantageous to provide additional toys to offer children the opportunity to create items of their own making, while additionally enabling the toy to be crushed or otherwise destroyed.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a kit may be provided which comprises a supply of modeling compound, at least one form adapted to deform the supply of modeling compound to create an impression in the shape of the form, a supply of curable liquid, and a supply of non-curable liquid. The supply of curable liquid is adapted to be poured into the impression and be cured into a toy having a shape complementary to the form. The toy includes a solid exterior skin and a liquid center adapted to be drained. The supply of non-curable liquid is adapted to be injected into the toy after the curable liquid is drained from the toy.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method of fabricating a toy is provided which comprises the steps of creating an impression in the modeling compound, filling the impression with a curable liquid, enclosing the curable liquid with additional modeling compound, curing an exterior layer of the curable liquid to create a toy having a shape corresponding to the impression, removing the curable liquid from an interior of the toy, and filling the interior of the toy with a non-curable liquid.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a toy crushing device is provided which comprises a housing base, a transparent cover removably mounted to the housing base, and a plunger reciprocatingly mounted through the cover. The plunger includes a handle and a plate with a plate being movable between a crushing position proximate the housing base, and a loading position raised away from the housing base.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a toy kit is provided which comprises a supply of calcium enriched modeling compound, a plurality of molds adapted to deform the supply of modeling compound to create an impression, a supply of sodium alginate adapted to be poured into the impression and be cured into a toy having a shape complementary to the form, a supply of LAPONITE(copyright) colloidal clay adapted to be injected into the toy after the algin is removed, and a crushing device adapted to compress the toy sufficiently to break the exterior skin of the toy and splatter the LAPONITE(copyright) colloidal clay outwardly.
These and other features and aspects of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.